A Guide for License Application for Under 18 in California

If you're a teen between the ages of 15½ and 18 or a parent of a teen between the ages of 15½ and 18, you're at a critical juncture in your life.  You or your child is at the point where they are ready to explore how to receive your California driver's license, and there's a lot to learn! You must know various procedures for the process to go well, including acquiring the proper documentation, enrolling in classes, and taking your driver's exam. Here's a simple guide for California kids on how to get their driver's license:

Eligibility

A minor is someone under the age of eighteen. Minors must have their applications signed by their parent(s) or legal guardian(s). Both parents/guardians must sign if they have joint custody. To obtain a permit, you must be:
  • At least 15½ years old but under the age of 18.
  • Fill out the Application for a Driver License or Identification Card (DL 44).
  • Sign the DL 44 form with your parent(s) or guardian(s).
  • Pass the road signs and traffic laws test. You must wait one week before retaking the test if you fail it.
  • If you are between the ages of 15½ and 17½, you must show proof that you have:
    • Driver education certificate (Certificate of Completion of Driver Education), or
    • Are enrolled in an approved integrated driver education/driving training program and actively engaged in it (Certificate of Enrollment in an Integrated Driver Education and Driver Training Program).

Restrictions For Minors

Driving Permit

Your permit will not be valid until you start driver training, at which point your teacher will sign it to validate it. It would help if you practiced with a licensed California driver, such as a parent, guardian, driving instructor, spouse, or an adult 25 or older. The person sitting next to you must be close enough to take control of the vehicle at any time. You can't drive alone with a provisional permit, even to the DMV, to get your driver's license.

Driver's License

When appropriate transportation is not available, and you must drive, the law offers the following exceptions. You must keep a signed letter describing why you need to drive and when this need will stop in your possession for the following exceptions.
  • When suitable transportation options are insufficient, it is medically necessary to drive. A physician must sign the note, including the diagnosis and expected recovery date.
  • Schooling is any activity that the school sanctions. The principal, dean, or designee of the school must sign the note.
  • Workplace necessity and the requirement to operate a car as part of your job. The employer must sign the note as proof of employment.
  • The requirement to drive a member of one's immediate family. A note signed by your parent(s) or legal guardian(s) is necessary, outlining the reason for the need to drive the immediate family member and the expected end date.

Steps in Getting a License if you're Under 18

Instruction Permit

If you are between the ages of 15½ and 18, you must first obtain a Provisional Instruction Permit before applying for a California Driver License. This will allow you to drive a car with certain restrictions or "provisions," and you must have had your permit for at least 6 months before taking your driver's license test. You'll need the following documents to apply for your instruction permit:
  • Parent's signature on a completed application for a driver's license
  • Social Security Number Verification
  • Birth certificate in its original form
  • Proof of identity and legal status in the United States
  • Proof of California residency
After you've gathered all of your papers, you'll need to show them to the DMV. You must pass a vision test and a written exam on the fundamental laws of the road. The DMV will also take your picture and request your thumbprint. You will obtain your permit once you have completed all of this and paid the application cost.

Completed Driver's Education

Once you have your instruction permit, you can enroll in driver's education classes. Teens between the ages of 15½ and 18 must complete 25 hours of classroom education and 6 hours of teen driving courses behind the wheel. Before applying for a driver's license, you must have held your instruction permit for at least six months, although you can choose to renew it if you need additional time to complete the needed hours of instruction. When driving with an instruction permit, keep in mind that you must have an adult in the car with you at all times who is 25 years old or older and has a valid California driver's license.

Pass Driving Test

You can take the driving test once you're confident in your driving abilities and have had your permit for at least six months. Of course, you'll require other paperwork. You'll need the following items:
  • Vehicle registration proof
  • Valid proof of auto insurance
  • Your parent/guardian must sign the Instruction Permit, as well as the instructor who taught you how to drive.
  • Certificate of completion of driver's education
After you've submitted all of your paperwork to the DMV, the instructor will accompany you to the driving test. If you pass, the DMV will give you a temporary paper driver's license until your hard copy is ready. You can retake the driving exam if you don't pass the first time.

Hit the Road!

You're ready to hit the road after passing your driver's license test! However, there are two important provisions you must follow during your first year of driving with your license:
  • You drive between the hours of 11:00 PM and 5:00 AM, or
  • You have passengers under the age of 20, and you must have an adult in the car with you who is 25 years old and has a valid California driver's license.
Once you have been licensed for one year or have reached the age of 18, you are no longer bound by these restrictions. Enjoy your well-earned liberty, and drive cautiously at all times!

Requirements For Out-Of-State Minors

Driving Permit

All out-of-state minor applicants in California must follow the Application Requirements for a Basic Class C Driver License Section and must sign the Driver License or Identification Card Application (DL 44) form with their parent(s) or legal guardian(s). Applicants for an out-of-state minor's permit must complete the conditions in the Minor's Permit Requirements section. Suppose you took your driver education and training courses outside of California. In that case, DMV might accept a To Secondary Schools Other Than California Schools (DL 33) form filed by the out-of-state secondary school. A DL 33 form is available at your local DMV office or by contacting 1-800-777-0133. Request that your out-of-state secondary school complete and send the DL 33 form to you.

Driver's License

As part of the application procedure, you will be required to show your out-of-state driver's license and pass a knowledge exam. Holders with out-of-state driver licenses are usually exempt from taking the behind-the-wheel driving test. However, for any form of driver's license application, the DMV may require a behind-the-wheel driving exam.